Objective: To describe characteristic of hand-wrist bone development in adolescents of 14 years old in China, and to estimate trend of bone development of them.
Methods: A total of 109 adolescents of 14 years was selected as subjects (males: 53, females: 56). X-rays examination of their left hand-wrist bone were performed and analyzed. The development characteristics of each position in accordance with Gu's mapping of skeletal age were compared with Gu's results and ours.
Results: Compared with Gu's, osteoepiphysis of distal radius, the first metacarpal bone, the fourth proximal phalanx were more advanced in boys, osteoepiphysis of distal radius, the second-fifth metacarpal bones, the first-fifth proximal phalanxs, and the second-fifth middle phalanxs were more advanced in girls.
Conclusion: The results suggested that a forward trend of 14 years old adolescents bone development currently exists in our country, especially in girls. As an important age of criminal responsibility, this forward trend of development of bones among adolescents currently should be kept in mind when estimating bone age of criminals.